I go, you go, we go to Bibigo

I finally tried out Bibigo this weekend! This is a Korean bibimbab fast-food chain restaurant with several locations around Seoul and now also a few outside of Korea. I know you can find bibimbab anywhere in Korea, but it’s worth doing a post about Bibigo because they are so vegan-friendly.

The set up is similar to Chipotle in the US (I miss my burrito bowl!) in that you create your own bibimbab by choosing the vehicle (bowl, stone pot, or plate), rice, protein, and sauce.

The basic menu. You can see a clearer version of this here. They also have other dishes on the menu like gondeurae bibimbab (vegan), and tteokbokki.

Everything is super clean and ingredients are well organized and separated etc.

I chose the ‘Bibigo Rice’ option with black rice, tofu (duh), and sesame sauce. Each tray comes out with a serving of cold radish water kimchi.

The magic sauce.

Overall, it was pretty good and satisfying. I found things a little bland, especially the tofu. It definitely relies on the sauce packet to provide most of the flavor. However, I appreciated the freshness of the banchan, and the healthy rice option. The serving size was also just right.

Some got the dolsot (hot stone pot) version, with their own choices of rice, protein, and sauce.

We also ordered some of their tteokbokki which was a mix of rice cakes, sweet potato, and ginko fruit. Tteokbokki itself is usually vegan, but I avoid eating it on the street because it usually has fishcake strips (오댕) mixed in. Here, there were no fishcakes and the tteok was fried so it had a nice chewy/crispy outer texture which was different. The sweet potato was also a great addition. Enjoyed this a lot. :)

Overall, Bibigo was better than I expected~ I don’t think it’s anywhere close to being as awesome as Chipotle, but the food is fresh, healthy, and affordable. It’s certainly not the best bibimbab I’ve had, but it’s a good option for vegans because you can customize everything. The menu also has English translations, the service is quick and friendly (at least where we went).

Check the Bibigowebsite for restaurant locations, menu, and more info.

Very cool. I’ve always been veg, so the first time I tried bibimbap, I made it myself. It’s become a family hit with all of the awesome different flavors and textures.

This reminds me, we just got our first Chipotle in town (Albuquerque), and I haven’t been yet! Of course, I’ve been in other places (Houston, Phoenix, etc). You know what else is awesome for vegans? Jason’s deli. They have a menu that itemizes veg options and vegan options. ♥ Yay!

It looks really yummy!
Some ddeokbokki and kimchi are made with anchovies in the soup/sauce base in restaurants, do you usually ask about it? If I were to ask them, how would I ask? Or is it usually safe?

It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955)

As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap the joy of love.
—Pythagoras

Humanity’s true moral test, its fundamental test…consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals. And in this respect humankind has suffered a fundamental debacle, a debacle so fundamental that all others stem from it.
—Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, 1984

i Heart i Herb

This is where I get chia seeds, almond butter, nooch, and everything else that I can't find in Korea.